The invariance of energy
by LucyfromSK
Summary: Genkai and Yusuke have one last conversation. What will it be about? Enter and find out.
1. Chapter 1

Hi, everyone!

I am back with a new story, this time a multi-chapter one. Expect some serious topics, people. That is what I want to bring in my stories.

If you like the story (or even if you do not like), it would give me lots of pleasure to read some reviews.

OK! Now the story... Enjoy!

Oh, one more thing:

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho or any of its characters.

...that is, of course, what we all know...

* * *

The invariance of energy

"Dammit, why on earth do so many stairs have to lead to the old hag's house? "

Yusuke Urameshi was ascending the stone staircase, step by step, breath by breath, curse by curse. No matter how powerful he became, those stairs always seemed to win him over. He rememebers the very first time he laid his feet on them quite well. He was there on duty to reveal the horrible beast Rando and prevent him from acquiring master Genkai's techniques. That could have had disastrous effects, if real. Or at least Botan claimed so. Yusuke, however, only agreed when he was offered those tickets which were, in the end, only worthless pieces of paper...

"But... what followed afterwards was not worthless at all, " Yusuke confessed to himself aloud. "But damn those stairs!"

He looked up. The entrance gate wasn't very far from his position. "I'm almost there, " he said but didn't look back. He took a deep inhale and went on. Curiosity gave him stamina for each of his steps.

_"Yusuke! "_

"To hell with the stone!" Yusuke cursed when he nearly tripped over a large stone which he had not noticed before. The stone was of similar color as the stairs and really couldn't be spotted easily. He shook his head and tried to get back to his memories.

_"Hey, Kurama! How are you?"_

_The red-haired boy would have kicked him to his most sensitive place, if he hadn't been Kurama._

_"Yusuke, please, be mindful! I am Schuichi here!"_

_Yusuke made an apologising face and looked around. Of course, they happened to meet in front of his pal's school..._

_Which Yusuke didn't know as Kurama had been attending university for a few months. Even though Yusuke knew which one, he hadn't had a clue of where the university was situated until that moment. He just happened to be passing by and met Kurama only by chance._

_"Sorry..._ _"_

_"Don't worry. No-one seems to hear us._ _"_

_"Not even your fanclub?_ _" Yusuke teased. It has been quite a long time since he last saw Kurama but the time didn't wipe any of his beautiful features away. There was no doubt Kurama had a flock of desperately enchanted girls pursuing him._

_"My fanclub is busy editing a new issue of their club magazine," Kurama replied with a smile. Yusuke started laughing so hard that it made all people in the diameter of eighty meters turn their heads around at them. Neither of them cared, though. When Yusuke snapped out of his heavy fit of laughter his mood went a few degrees up. _

_"Must be hard work. Mostly because of no effect."_

_Kurama nodded, suspiciously however. "Naturally. But you wouldn't point it out if there wasn't anything more behind those words..._ _"_

_Yusuke chuckled. Kurama has lost none of his prudence, too. He knew him very well and that made Yusuke appreciate him even more. But not that much he would stay away from his outstanding idea. _

_Yusuke bent his lower back and stabbed his gaze at Kurama's chest. Kurama flinched a bit but managed to stand still. Yusuke knitted his eyebrows trying to create the most concentrated investigating stare ever. After a minute he straightened his form, tilted his head and put a hand over Kurama's human heart._

_"Hey, pal, I might not have the sight of an eagle, but it seems like your heart has been ripped out of your chest. So tell me, do you know the culprit? The hideous criminal who stole your heart?"_

_Kurama's cheeks got pink even when he tried hard to cover his blush. Of course, he had expected Yusuke to have at least an idea, but the very thought of..._

_"I do not. But you could ask Genkai if you like."_

_"Genkai?_ _" came a shocked response from Yusuke. "What has Genkai to do with it?_ _"_

_This distraction seemed to work. Kurama let a small smile creep on his face. No, it was no distraction. Just a smart implementation of his previous intentions._

_"You will see when you visit her at her temple. She asked me to tell you to come on Sunday. She wants to talk to you about something important."_

_Yusuke sniffed and growled. "She hasn't been mocking me for a while and now she is suffering from abstinence seizures, right?"_

_"She might. Anyway, I have to go. My fanclub needs a special photo on the cover of the latest issue. See you later!"_

_Yusuke waved him goodbye as he was walking away. Surely he had to go. To find the holder of his heart..._

And so was Yusuke there, perspiring all over, breathing heavily but happy to be at the top of the vicious staircase. The entrace gate was open as if welcoming him to come in.

"OK," Yusuke said after getting his breath normal. "Let's see what Genkai wants from her favourite dimwit. "

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So, what do you think?

Tell me in your reviews! And have a nice day!


	2. Chapter 2

Hi, everyone!

I am back with the second chapter. This time the real thing beggins...

Anyway, please - review!

Disclaimer: Same as usual - the holy truth. I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho or any of its characters.

* * *

Yusuke couldn't hold a contented smile. The place hasn't changed a bit and it still gave off the scent of total serenity. Serenity and anguish. Again, Yusuke's memories started to pop up in his head and there was nothing that could push them away. He still remembers the pain, long trainings, endless suffering, severe punches and kicks which he was going through two months before Ankoku Bujutsukai. And he managed not to give in just because his will to live was so strong. He didn't want anything terrible to happen to his beloved ones and each of his 10000000000000 body cells desperately yearned for being alive. Naturally, there were times when his will went a bit lame. During those times, Genkai was like a safety net when he was falling into the abyss of surrender. The net may have not been the most comfortable and soothing one. Quite the contrary, it was sown of spiky thorns and sharp edges. But no matter how much it hurt, it still was a safety net. It _has been_ a safety net. And it always will be...

"Has just a new spieces of tree grown just in the centre of my front yard? "

The familiar voice pulled Yusuke back into reality. Small as usual, pink-haired as usual and strictly-looking as usual – Genkai stood just a few meters ahead of him on the wooden patio.

"Baa-san! " Yusuke called. Baa-san smirked and walked along the patio to enter the temple. Yusuke followed her keeping a firm distance and speed behind her. As if there was a steel stick connecting them, there was no way to slow down or to speed up. Only when they were seated on the floor did Yusuke see Genkai's face second time that day. The silence didn't last long. It was Yusuke who broke it.

"Well, Kurama told me you wanted to talk to me. About something important, I think. "

"That's nice to hear as you usually do not think too much. " Genkai teased. Of course, that made Yusuke fly into rage and show his angry pair of teeth rows.

"Could you stop mocking me, you old hag? Why do you always have to nag at me, huh? "

Genkai stayed untouched by the furious words. Calmly, she took a deep breath of air and a sip of her favourite tea.

"Because I like it. And because you are used to it. "

Yusuke's eyebrows went as high as the half of his forehead. Clearly, this woman knew a lot, _a lot_ about him... Yes, he is used to her prickly style. But if she wants to discuss a problem of great importance why doesn't she...

"Just get to the point!" Yusuke splashed those words out of his mouth as if they were water. They hit Genkai just into her face and she wiped them dry as abruptly as they came.

"I'm gonna die."

Yusuke couldn't get the air into his lungs and started to choke. But after a few seconds of fighting the surprise, Yusuke won the battle and... got confused?

"What the hell did you say?"

Genkai shook her head and pouted. "Does it mean you either haven't heard me or you have forgotten what I just said? I A-M G-O-N-N-A D-I-E. "

"No need to spell!" Yusuke exclaimed. The flames of his annoyance were, however, put out by his heavier and heavier confusion. "I understood what you said. But... but..." Yusuke's voice was shaking all over. "Why do you say such things? I really... can't get it! "

Genkai widended her eyes a bit. Although she had expected him not to comprehend, Yusuke somehow made her curious. That tone of his voice... that wasn't the I-have-not-the-slightest-idea tone. She felt Yusuke had got caught in a trap of two opposing facts. She really became curious. Not interrupting him or prompting him to go on, she kept her mouth shut and let him speak on his own. His neck bent and he set his eyes on the floor.

"Back then, " Yusuke said silently, gradually taking the volume up. "When you were about to fight Toguro... just before he killed you... back then... you haven't said a word about death. And you... you knew you were going to die. So why now? "

A whisk of disappointment met Genkai's soul. "You baka... if I ever mentioned dying at that time, you and your whole team would be decomposing corpses now. There was danger and any erroneous step might have meant the end. At that time you really didn't need any distraction... "

"Nor do I need now. Nor will I need in the future!"

Yusuke... that Yusuke of hers!

Full of emotions and so simple that it was complicated to understand him...

But she understood.

At last.

"Of course, Yusuke. However, sooner or later - and I would say rather sooner – I am gonna pass away. But there is no need for you to worry. I will always be there."

Yusuke put his head up and gave an odd look.

"What do you mean by that?"

* * *

So, your impressions?

None?

Any! Tell me in your reviews!


	3. Chapter 3

Hi, everyone!

It took some time to finish this story because of this pestering tonsilitis of mine...

But now I am back with the third and last chapter. The story is complete now and I am looking forward to all your reviews!

Here is the disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho and any of its characters.

...but it would be fine to own at least Hiei... :)

On with the story!

* * *

"What do you mean by that? How can you be here forever? If you die, you will no longer be in this world! "

Genkai sighed and took the last sip of her tea. She put the cup away and pointed her finger at the empty ceramic container.

"There," she said.

Yusuke did not immediately turn his head to look at the cup. First, he considered the whole situtation to be a trick. The old lady really had a strange way how to suprise her surrondings. He and his friends have been witnesses to such fits of her behaviour many times. That's why he chose to be cautious at first. In a moment, however, this proved to be completely unnecessary as Genkai swiftly but patiently nodded and moved her finger closer to the item. That was the sign for Yusuke to see there was something serious about her silent order. He spun his head and gazed at the cup. It was the traditional cup with no handles but besides that it didn't have any unusual features. Yusuke looked back at Genkai with a glimpse of interest in his eyes.

"What about the cup?" he asked while observing the cup in more details. Perhaps he had missed one before...

"As you can see, there is nothing special about it. " Genkai answered. "And the cup is not my point, anyway. "

Yusuke stopped analyzing the thing and looked at Genkai again. It was evident to her that he had absolutely no clue of her intentions. How could he have, indeed?

"It's the contents. The contents that is currently lying in my stomach." she explained smiling a little.

"But what does the tea have to do with this? " Yusuke grunted, rising his voice intensity. Again, the flickering flame of his doubts began to grow. Is she just playing a game? Is it just a joke?

"Calm down, Yusuke. If you hadn't flown into a rage, I would be getting this clear now. So sit back and listen. Just listen. "

As if a large hand grabbed him, Yusuke went down to sit on the floor. Genkai cleared her throat by choking twice.

"The tea I have just drunk was once a living plant. A plant which was breathing, growing, taking minerals from the ground, absorbing the sunlight to give it the energy for photosynthesis. That was until its time came to be used to produce the tea. It died to give life to others. "

"To give life? I don't understand. " Yusuke expectedly interrupted her speech. Genkai just nodded to let him know that the explanation was coming soon.

"You know, drinking tea is one of those things which have always kept my body and mind healthy, which gave me the power. Of course, most of my strenght hasn't come out of tea. Only a part. A small, but significant part. "

She stopped for a while, but no question came from Yusuke's side. He remained quiet waiting for the outcome. This was leading to the very purpouse of her invitation. Somehow he felt, deep inside of him he felt that these words of Genkai's wouldn't be able to be repeated in the future. At least not from her own mouth. No matter how hard he tried to fight this emotion to emerge, no matter how he struggled to make it go away, he was not able to succeed. There was no way to defeat the truth.

"My mission here is over. Now I am ready to die. And I have put up with the fact without problems. Back then, at Ankoku Bujutsukai... I didn't want to die. Or to put it in better words – I couldn't tolerate being beaten by Toguro. However, I myself couldn't understand the reason. I had given you all of my spirit power to give you life, to give you power to survive... and still I felt it was _wrong_ to die. My head, my soul, everything was screaming: _It's not the time! _But the time came and I lost. You know very well what I told you then. And I could see you got it right. Although you needed a little help... "

Yusuke clenched his fists and bent his head. Yes, he needed help to reveal his true power. But the hint was the cruelest one he could ever imagined. Kuwabara might have been dead... if Toguro had been completely ruthless. But his intention was to beat Yusuke and only Yusuke.

"After being reborn, or being sent to my body again, I understood the whole thing. Naturally, it hadn't been my time to leave then. I came back because there was still something for me to complete. A task, another task to fullfil, another goal to reach. So after helping Kurama and those six demon guys I started to realize that the end was coming. I feel satisfaction now. I feel whole."

Yusuke stared in amazement. Genkai... she seemed to be peaceful. No fear. No usual pondering about pain.

"This body of mine will decompose. Slowly, stage by stage it will become minerals. Those minerals will feed plants. Plants will feed animals. Animals will feed people. Or demons. Whatever and whoever. This is the nature's circle. All of us are a part of this circle. Toguro... he knew this and tried to escape. But he didn't manage. No-one can manage. "

Genkai took Yusuke's hand and travelled her finger along the veins on his forearm.

"This blood of yours is demonic. You are going to live a long life. Longer than any human. But no living creature can achieve immortality. Not me, not you, not even this planet. The Earth is also going to die. The sun is going to stop shining once. That future is very distant for us but cannot be avoided. However, in the future, both the Earth and the sun are bound to give birth to new stars or planets. A new generation of life could start to exist. Do you know what I am trying to say? "

Yusuke gave a slow nod. Slow, but contented. And a wide smile.

"OK, so now get out of this place so that I can tidy up. " Genkai said without any warning. Yusuke's eyeballs almosted rolled out but he stood up anyway. The old lady was getting her cleaning equipment ready and he felt he really shouldn't make any obstacles...

Descending the stone staircase, Yusuke was looking around. This one? Or that one in the corner? Yusuke couldn't decide which species of tree 'the mineral Genkai' would become.

However, one thing he knew for sure. Genkai will always be remembered for giving life to her stars. And Yusuke was proud to be one of the elements of her constelation.


End file.
